The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-08
WHY PuGu WAS DEFEATED
For Mayor Of Coiumbus-Ths Revenge o
ISL tho Forgery Gang. gs'..H

CoLuMBus, April THE Democratic
politicians and ex.oilics holders Of this
city, who are suspected Of completely In
the tally sheet iorgeries, committed In this
city In October, 1885, are exalsing over
the result OF Mondays election. These
individuals set up the cry come time ago
that they were being prosecuted, aud
swore vengeance against Justice OF the
Peace A. II. Fritchey, who bound over to
the Common Pleas Court the flve men
charged with committing the crime. d. F.
Pugh, the Republican candidate for Mayor,
had also incurred the disples1Ee OF the
gang, because he had In his capacity as q
lawyer, taken prominent part In hunting
up evidences against the accused. At the
time Mr.. Pugh performed this service to
tho people Of the city, and, indeed, the
entire State, he had no idea OF being a
candidate for Mayor or any other office.
When, through one OF the peculiar turns
In political affairs, be was made the Rs.
publican nominee for Mayor on the same
ticket with Mr.. Fritchey for Justice Of the
Peace, the gang at once determined to use
every means 10 accomplish the defeat OF
both. The one had, on good and sutli.
cient evidence, bound the rlngslers over,
land the other assisted In securing tho
testimony to bring about this result.
B. II. Marriott, ex.Depnty Warden Of
the Penitentiary; q. X. Montgomery, ex.
Prison Physician; Otto ". Horn, ex.
guard; Algernon Granville, eY-convict;
and R. b. Montgomery, ex prosecuting at.
torney, all OF whom are Democrats, were
the individuals indicted, and although
they pleaded innocence, each was afraid
to 20 to trial before jury. These psriies
interested themselves In q1et way, be-
fore the election, to defeat PuVh and
Fritchey, both gentlemen Of urquestioned
ability and integrity. 1t has been learned
that the indicted Democrats secured two
men to stand at the polls in each precinct
10 work against the Republican candidate
for Mayor and Justice Of the Peace. This
was kept very quiet, because the gangsters
wero fully aware that il 1t became gener.
ally known they were opposing these gen.
t.enen, it would react and induce the
better clsss oil Democrats as well as all
Republicans to vote ior the very men they
sought TO defeat.
/ Unfortunate for the people OF this city
both Pugh and Fritchey were defeated,
AMI now, after the excitement Of the elec.
ton is over, the suspected individuals are
gloating over the result and have tho
brazen efrontery TO claim that the result |
was rebuke to the prosecution OF the al.
legged forgery. This attempt Of the rings.
ters to make 1t appear that the election |
was all endorsement Of their courae has
incensed many Democrats, who are anx.
ious to SEQ the criminals who committed |
the forgery punished, and it is believed |
that had such claim been made before |
the election the result would have been |
different, at least on two officers men,
toned.
Although Judge Duncan sustained the |
demurrer to the indictment, which gave
the accused temporary relief from their |
sunpense, it is by no means certain that |
they will escape trial through tho tech.
nicaiities Of the law and the questionable |
rulings Of the judge. The Supreme Court
is to pass upon the conclusions OF Judge
Duncan, and the gang may yet receive a
bsckset in their efforts to escape. The
case is 10 be argued in the Supreme Court
in few days, and a decision on the points
involved will be snxiously awaited BY |
the msny people here who will not bel
as to the Innocence OF the parties |
until they are regularly acquitted in q
court OF Justice.